The Radiological Institute of Ireland has begun a campaign to highlight the dangers of radon gas in the workplace. 1,500 employers in Ennis, County Clare will take part in a pilot scheme, which involves taking radon measurements over a six months period. Individual employers who are found to have high radon levels will be advised about appropriate safety measures to protect the heath of workers.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas which seeps up from the ground into buildings. It can be dangerous if it collects in enclosed spaces, and has been classified as a carcinogen. Long exposure to high levels carries a risk of lung cancer.
The initiative by the RPII gives effect to new legislation introduced last year to deal with the protection of workers from exposure to radon in the workplace. A national survey of radon in dwellings carried out between 1992 and 1999 identified Ennis and its environs as a high radon area, with 28% of dwellings predicted to have high radon levels.
